Feeding and tensioning mechanism for strand wrapping machines



ugQ 13, 1940. J. PERRY 2,211,434

FEEDI NG AND TENSIONING MECHANISM FOR STRAND WRAPPING MACHINES FiledJune 1, 1939 ATTORNEYS.

I strand covering machines of the type in which- Patented Aug. 13, 1940PATENT OFFICE FEEDING AND TENSIONING MECHANISM FOR STRAND WRAPPINGMACHINES John Perry, Seekonk, Mass., assignor to H & B American MachineCompany, a corporation of Maine Application June 1, 1939, Serial No.276,782

14 Claims.

This invention relates to strand wrapping machines, and in particular toimprovements in yarn or other desired covering material in filament formis applied by one or more spiral wrappings about the surface of avertically moving run of elastic strand material, specifically in theform of a core or thread of rubber, and has for one of its objects toprovide in a machine of this type improved means for positivelyadvancing the elastic strand material through the machine in such amanner-as to maintain a constant feed and elongation of the rubber corewhile applying a covering material thereto and a constant take-up of thecore as covered whereby an even covering of the strand by the coveringmaterial during the covering operation will result.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the aboveclass apparatus feeding and tensioning device which will uniformlyadvance a rubber core or strand longitudinally of its length and at thesame time maintain it in a stretched condition of predetermined andconstant elongation during the covering operation without the necessityof wrapping the strand or core about parts of the feeding and tensioningmechanism.

Another object of the invention is the gripping and feeding of theelastic strand in such a manner that in the event of breakage'of therubber strand or core the normal running of the entire machine will notbe interrupted or interfered with but that the feed of the individualstrands or cores from a common supply beam will be maintained to theremaining strand covering devices on the machine, and also anuninterrupted feeding of the broken strand from the supply beam to itsrespective bottom feeding de vice without wrapping of the broken endabout parts of the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for feeding andtensioning a stretch of strand material in a machine of the above classin which the device is so constructed as to be self-threading and feedthe strand material into off of the covered strand as finished, tomaintain a constant elongation of the strand while applying the coveringmaterial, without slippage asit passes through the machine and Withoutresulting in sticking of the strand at the feeding and draw-off devices.

Another object of the invention is the pivoting of one of a pair ofrotary strand advancing members for swinging movement relatively towardand away from the other member for gripping the strand, and the locationof the fulcrum point of the pivoted member at such a position as tocause the swingable strand advancing member to exert a wedging action onthe strand tohold it securelyin contact with the other strand advancingmember at the time of feeding of the strand. 7

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fragmental portion of a strandcovering machine showing a pair of strand feeding and tensioning devicesembodying my invention in their normal working position thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one form of strand feeding andtensioning device members.

Fig, 3 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2 as viewed fromthe bottom of that figure.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the wrapping of yarn or other covering materials in filament formabout a vertically moving strand or core of rubber yarn or thread, ithas been found necessary in order to obtain an even covering on thecore, that a uniform feeding and constant tensioning of the core isessential. That is, the vertical advancing movement of the core throughthe machine during the covering operation must be uniform and the speedof the draw-off means for the core as it is covered should be greaterthan the speed of feeding means for the bare core into the machine andremain constant so that a constant elongation of the core as it is beingcovered will be maintained as the core is pulled through the machineduring the covering operation.

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice in the art to provide a lowerfeed wheel for feeding the bare core into the machine and an upperdraw-off wheel for uniformly stretching the core, which wheels in onecommon type have perforated side walls and are rotated at constant butdifferent speeds for pulling the stretched core or strand of rubberunder constant tension upwardly through the hollow spindles of therotary wrapping devices that carry the bobbins of the covering materialand successively apply helical wrappings of the covering material to themoving elastic core as it passes vertically through the machine. In thisprior method it has been found necessary to wrap or wind the rubber coreor strand a full turn or more around the feed Wheel and the draw-offwheel respectively in order to secure the proper gripping action on thecore for advancing the same through the machine under constant tensionas these wheels are rotated.

However, this prior method has not proven to be entirely satisfactory inpractice because at times either the draw-off wheel or the feed wheel orboth become clogged, due to the yarn or the uncovered rubber core beingtightly wound around the upper draw-off wheel and the lower feed wheelrespectively and entangled in their structure before the machine can bebrought to a full stop after breakage of the core occurs. The operationof disentangling and removing the tangled massed relation of the yarn,or of the core, or both, is inconvenient and wastes time, quite apartfrom the fact that the production is rendered difficult and expensivesince the machine may remain stopped for a considerable period with theconsequent loss in production while the snarled material is cut out andpried away from the various portions of the feed wheel. This conditionmay arise in various ways, such as, for example, in the case of the feedwheel, due to the presence of thin places or defects in the rubberthread or core or by reason of bad packaging of the yarn whereindoubled-in turns of the yarn become pinched within the yarn package andarrest its rotation as the yarn is being applied to the rubber core thuscausing stoppage of the flier and a jerk on the rubber core at theserving point of the initial winding head to resist the feeding movementof the rubber core between the lower feed wheel and the upper draw-offwheel, which core is under tension and stretched close to its breakingpoint, thus imposing a strain on the rubber often sufiicient to snap itoff at a point above the lower feed wheel. The broken end of the rubbercore being suddenly relieved of its tension when breakage occurs thusbecomes tightly bound to the feed wheel which due to the full wrap ofthe rubber core thereon causes further feeding of the core after rupturebefore stoppage of the machine can be effected and results in thewinding up of considerable rubber around the feed wheel.

In the other instance, the upper draw-off wheel becomes clog red due tobreakage of the run of covered rubber as it passes under tension fromthe upper draw-off wheel to the take-up reel, this condition beingcaused by sticking of the stretched covered rubber strand to theperforated parts of the wheel to encircle the same for a full wrap andthe subsequent wrapping of the rubber strand as covered a second timearound the draw-off wheel to lock the first wrapping whereby breakage ofthe strand ensues and the broken end so held further winds on additionallengths of the rubber strand as covered before the machine can bestopped; and in order to overcome the difficulties above named, I haveprovided upper and lower rotary strand advancing and tensioning devices,one of which is cated above the usual upper wrapping or winding head ofthe machine and the other below the 'lower winding head thereof, each ofthese dedetermined and constant length of elongation while advancing thestrand longitudinally of its length through the machine upon positiverotation of one of said rotary members, and in order to secure theseadvantageous results I have provided a driven grooved wheel positionedat one side of path of travel of the strand or core, and a yieldingfreely rotatable presser roller positioned opposite the grooved wheeland having a working portion adapted to coact within a working portionof the groove of the grooved wheel and movable toward the grooved wheelby reason of a swingable support and the action of a weight to engagethe other side of the elastic strand or core, with or without theapplied covering material, when the same is confined between the groovedwheel and the roller and to press the strand or core against the wheelby pressure applied by the weight to urge the presser roller in thatdirection whereby the positive simultaneous rotation of the drivengrooved wheels of both upper and lower devices will cause longitudinaladvancing movement and tensioning of the gripped strand through thewinding heads of the machine driving the covering operation, and thefollowing is a more detailed description of the present embodiment ofthis invention, illustrating the preferred means by which theseadvantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there isshown only one unit of a strand covering machine in accordance with theinvention in order to simplify illustration since in such machine aplurality of duplicate units are employed in gangs and the descriptionof one unit will equally apply to the others. As illustrated, themachine comprises a pair of hollow rotatable winding heads I and H whichare arranged in a double deck arrangement one above the other invertical alignment and receive a strand of yarn or other coveringmaterial from their respective .bobbins I2 and I3 and apply it in asuccession of spiral wrappings around a core or strand f5 to be covered,such as rubber yarn or thread, as the core passes vertically through thehollow winding heads. The winding heads ill and H are of similarconstruction and may consist, as in the usual machines of this class, ofa tubular spindle journaled in suitable bearing in a base which ismounted upon the usual longitudinally extended side rails l6 and I1carried by the frame of a covering machine. The winding heads l0 and Ilmay be driven by means of drive belts l8 and [9 respectively, runningover the pulleys 20 and 2| on the longitudinally extended driving shafts22 and 23, as is the usual construction of such machines and well knownin the art.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rubber core l5 to be covered is first led from asupply reel 24 or other suitable source of supply through the guide eye25 at the bottom of the machine, and then passes vertically upwardlythrough the machine in the course of which vertical travel it passesthrough one of my rotary feeding and tensioning devices, generallydesignated 26, which includes novel features that will hereinafter bemore fully described, and by which the core I5 is nipped as at 21 andpulled from the reel 24. The core then is led upwardly through thehollow spindles of the winding heads l and II which successively applytwo layers of the covering material spirally in opposite directions tothe core, the thus covered core now being designated l. The doublecovered strand I5 then passes upwardly through a second rotary feedingand tensioning device generally designated 28 embodying the inventionand which is positioned above the upper winding head II and nips thecore l5 as'at 29 to exert a wedging action thereon upon rotation of thedevice 28. The devices 26 and 28 are positively rotated at constant butdifferent speeds so as toprovide constant and' predetermined elongationof the rubber strand between the nip points 21 and 29 while advancingthe core upwardly through the machine. After the covering process isfinished the thus-covered strand I5 is led through the guide eye 30 andis then wound about a take-up reel 3| which retates upon the spindle 32suitably fixed to the machine. The guide eye 30 is suitably traversed bya reciprocable bar 33 which is actuated by suitable mechanism (notshown) for laying of the strand axially along the extent of the reel 3|.

As illustrated, the upper and lower rotary feeding and t'ensioningdevices 26 and 28 re-. spectively are of duplicate construction with theexception that the lower device 26 is mounted on the frame of themachine in an inverted position, as shown in Fig. 1, which mountingmarrangement necessitates the provision of a weight 35 as an additionalelement of the structure, this weight being adjustably mounted on anextension arm 36 and acting to apply the desired pressure for causingthe device 26 to grip the bare core l5 and advance the same uponrotation. Otherwise, the description of one of the devices will sufficefor both of these mechanisms.

Referring more specifically to Figs.- 2, 3 and 4, the devices 26 and 28each cons st of a cylindrical member or wheel 4|) which iscircumferentlally grooved as at 4| and mounted on a drive shaft 42 forrotation therewith. Disposed opposite the periphery of the wheel 40 is ayieldably arranged pressure roller 43 which has a roundedcircumferential working portion 44 coacting with the bottom groove 4| ofthe grooved wheel 40 to grip the opposite sides of either the covered oruncovered core H5 or |5 respectively when it is positioned between thewheel and the roller. The roller 43 is loosely mounted for rotation upona pin 45,'the outer end portion of which is formed with an enlarged head46 for preventing the wheel 40 from sliding off the pin. The inner endof the pin 45 extends within a bore 47 in a boss 48 at one end portionof a pivoted cross arm 59 and projecting from a side face thereof. thepin 45 to the crossarm 50. The opposite side faces of the roller 43 maybe suitably recessed as indicated at 52 and 53, Fig. 2, foraccommodating the outer end of the boss 48 and the head 46 of the pin 45respectively.

To permit free yielding movement of the roller 43 toward and away fromthe grooved wheel 4|,

A suitable set screw 5| serves to secure cross arm 50 is supported atits other end upon a knife edge pivot whereby swinging movement of thepresser roller toward and away from the grooved wheel 40 with theminimum of friction at the pivot. As shown in Fig. 3 the hub 54 at thefulcrum end of the lever arm is cored trans-' thereof as the pressureroller 43 so as to provide the required pressure for urging the presserroller 43 into contact with one side of the strand material l5 or l5confined within the groove 4| and to press it against the workingportion of the grooved wheel 40 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The groove 4|of the grooved wheel 40 is transversely corrugated, knurled, orotherwise roughened as indicated at 6| in order to provide a more firmgripping action on the strand material I5 and I5 for pulling the sameunder tension through the winding heads l0 and during the coveringoperation as the wheel 40 is positively driven.

In order to insure that the core IE or l5 will be held under constanttension without slippage during its advancing movement, and also toobtain a more positive grip on the core for pulling the same through themachine, the location of the pivot point for the cross arm 50 is anessential feature of the invention. To this end, the bar 58 on which thecross arm 50 is fulcrumed is so positioned with respect to the center ofthe driven grooved wheel 40 that the line of center of the driven member40 and the roller 43in passing through the nip points 21 and 29respectively will always be disposed at an oblique angle to the normalvertical line of travel of the core and should never form a right angletherewith in all positions of swinging movement of the arm 50 and thepresser roller 43 so that the core will be bent by the action of theroller 43 in a short are around the periphery of the groove of the wheel40 in passing therethrough whereby a wedging of the core between thewheel and the presser roller will result at the points of nip 21 and 29respectively, as the weighted roller 43 tends to move closer to thewheel 40. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the point of nip 29 of the device28, due to the wedging action of the presser roller 43 will always beabove a horizontal line passing through the center of the grooveddraw-off wheel 40 while point of nip 2! of the device 26 will be alwaysbelow the horizontal line passng through the center of the grooved feedwheel 40.

It will thus be seen in accordance with the provisions of my invention Ihave eliminated the full wrap of the core about the wheel, and inaddition I have provided a simple and nexpensive mechanism for advancingand stretching the strand material |5 during the covering operations.The design ,of my mechanism is such that it is not necessary to lift offthe presser roll in order to thread the device in the event thatbreakage occurs since the shape of the groove 4| is such that it isself-threading andwill automatically draw in the inserted end of therubber core or other strand material to be covered into proper Operativerelation wth respect to the wheel 40 and the presser roller 43 when theend of core I is introduced within the groove 4| of the wheel 40 byinsertion therein from a sidewise direction over the peripheral edge ofthe wheel 40.

Throughout this specification and the appended claims I intend that theterm elastic strand as used herein should be interpreted to include notonly the bare rubber core or thread material but also should beinterpreted as including the finished covered rubber core or threadafter the covering of yarn or other desired material has been appliedthereto.

,The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the deviceis susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by theterms of the appended claims.

. I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a driven grooved wheel fixedlypositioned atone side of the path of travel of a strand and having aworking portion to engage one side of the strand, 2. yielding. presserroller positioned at the QP OSite side of the strand and having aworking portion to engage such side of the strand and coacting with thegroove of the grooved wheel, means for swingably mounting and rotatablysupporting said presser roller, and means for urging said presser rollerinto firm contact with the strand and the roller at all times beingoblique to the normally vertical path of longitudinal advancing movementof said strand when the same is caused to be advanced by the rotation ofsaid wheel whereby the point of nip of the strand in passing between thewheel and the roller is slightly offset from an extended line coincidentwith the normal vertical path of travel of the strand so that the strandwill be pressed against the wheel by the roller as it swings toward thesame to exert a wedging action on the strand at the point of nip andcause it to travel along a short are of wheel periphery during itsadvancing movement.

2. In an elastic strand covering machine, upper and lower strandadvancing devices operable in unison for both causing longitudinal movement of the elastic strand substantially vertically of the machine andfor maintaining the portion of the vertically advancing strand extendingbetween said devices under uniform tension and in a state ofsubstantially constant predetermined elongation, each of said devicescomprising a driven grooved wheel having a working portion adapted tonormally engage one side of a strand, the axis of said wheel beingpositioned at one side of the strand and at substantially right anglesto the direction of longitudinal movement of the strand, a presserroller at the opposite side of the strand from the grooved wheel, asupport on which said presser roller is freely rotatable, said supportbeing arranged for swinging movement toward said wheel to bodily movesaid roller into engagement with the strand, each of said swing ablesupports being fulcrumed at a point on the same side of the strand asthe axis of the grooved wheel, and means for urging each of the presserrollers toward their respective cooperating grooved wheel and into firmcontact with the strand to apply pressure against the same to press itagainst the working portion of the grooved wheel for causing the thusgripped strand to be tensioned and advanced longitudinally of its lengthand between said working portions upon positive rotation of said wheels,and means for 'postively driving said grooved wheel of the upper deviceat a greater speed than that of the lower device to effect such result.

3. In an elastic strand covering machine. upper and lower strandadvancing devices operable in unison for both causing longitudinalmovement of the elastic strand substantially vertically of the machineand for maintaining the portion of the vertically advancing strandextending between said devices under uniform tension and in a state ofsubstantially constant predetermined elongation, each of said devicescomprising a driven grooved wheel having a working portion adapted tonormally engage one side of a strand, the axis of said wheel beingpositioned at one side of the strand and at substantially right anglesto the direction of longitudinal movement of the strand, a presserroller at the opposite side of the strand from the grooved wheel, asupport on which said presser roller is freely rotatable, said supportbeing arranged for swinging movement toward said wheel to bodily movesaid roller into engagement with the strand, each of said swingablesupports being fulcrumed at a point on the same side of the strand asthe axis of the grooved wheel, and a weight carried by each of saidswingable supports for urging the respective presser rollers towardtheir cooperating grooved wheels and into firm contact with the strandto apply pressure against the same to press it against the workingportion of the grooved wheel for caus ing the thus gripped strand to betensioned and advanced longitudinally of its length and between saidworking portions upon positive rotation of said wheels, and means forpositively driving said grooved wheel of the upper device at a greaterspeed than that of the lower device to effect such result.

4. In an elastic strand covering machine, upper and lower strandadvancing devices operable in unison for both causing longitudinalmovement of the elastic strand substantially vertically of the machineand for maintaining the portion of the vertically advancing strandextending between said devices under uniform tension and in a state ofsubstantially constant predetermined elongation, each of said devicescomprising a driven grooved wheel having a working portion adapted tonormally engage one side of a strand, the axis of said wheel beingpositioned at one side of the strand and at substantially right anglesto the direction of longitudinal movement of the strand, a presserroller at the opposite side of the strand from the grooved wheel, and asupport on which said presser roller is freely rotatable, said supportbeing arranged for swinging movement toward said wheel to bodily movesaid roller into engagement with the strand, each of said swingablesupports being fulcrumed at a point on the same side of the strand asthe grooved wheels, and a weight carried by the swingable support of theupper device and disposed on the same side of the strand as the presserroller for urging the axis of the presser roller toward the cooperatinggrooved wheel and into firm contact with the strand to apply pressureagainst the same to press it against the working portion of the groovedwheel for causing the thus gripped strand to be tensioned and advancedlongitudinally of its length and between said working portions uponpositive rotation of said wheels, and means for positively driving saidgrooved wheel of the upper device faster than that of the lower deviceto effect such result.

5. In an elastic strand covering machine, upper and lower strandadvancing devices operable in unison for both causing longitudinalmovement of the elastic strand substantially vertically of the machineand for maintaining the portion of the vertically advancing strandextending between said devices under uniform tension and in a state ofsubstantially constant predetermined elongation, each of said devicescomprising a driven grooved wheel having a working portion adapted tonormally engage one side of a strand, the axis of said wheel beingpositioned at one side of the strand and at substantially right anglesto the direction of longitudinal movement of the strand, an idlerpresser roller at the opposite side of the strand from the groovedwheel, a support on which said presser roller is freely rotatable, saidsupport being arranged for swinging movement toward said wheel to bodilymove said roller into engagement with the strand, a pivot on which saidsupport is iulcrumed for free swinging movement, said pivot beingpositioned on the same side of the strand as the axis of the groovedwheel and consisting of a knife edge, and means normally tending to urgethe presser roller toward the grooved wheel and into engagement, withthe strand to press the same against the working portion of the wheelwhereby the strand will be tensioned and advanced longitudinally of itslength and between such working portions upon positive rotation of thegrooved wheel, and means for positively driving the grooved wheel of theupper device at a faster rate than that of the lower device.

6. In a machine of the character indicated a driven grooved wheel, aswingable support movable toward said wheel, a presser roller freelyrotatable on said support and arranged for movement bodily therewithinto coacting relation within the groove of said wheel upon swingingmovement of said support toward the wheel, said presser roller having aworking portion of narrower width than the width of the groove of thegrooved wheel, the working portions of the groove of the wheel and theperiphery of thepresser roller coacting to grip a strand at its oppositesides when it is positioned between said portions, so as to causeadvancing movement of the gripped strand longitudinally of its lengthand also through the groove upon positive rotation of the wheel, andmeans for positively driving the grooved wheel, the peripheral edge ofsaid roller being of rounded formation and the groove in the wheel beingso shaped in crosssection as to cooperate with the periphery of theroller as to draw in the end of a piece of strand material when insertedfrom a sidewise direction into the groove and to automatically positionstrand into proper operative relation between the working portions ofthe wheel and the roller for causing longitudinal feeding of the strand.

7. In a machine of the character indicated a driven grooved wheel, aswingable support movable toward said wheel, a presser roller freelyrotatable on said support and arranged for movement bodily therewithinto coacting relation within the groove of said wheel upon swingingmovement of said support toward the wheel, said presser roller having aworking portion of narrower width than the width of the groove of thegrooved wheel, the working portions of the groove of the wheel and theperiphery of the presser roller coacting to grip a strand at itsopposite sides when it is positioned between said portions, so as tocause advancing movement of the gripped strand longitudinally of itslength and also through the groove upon positive rotation of the wheel,and means for positively driving the grooved wheel, the pivot for saidswingable support being so located that the roller carried thereby willexert a wedging action on the strand by deflecting it from itssubstantially vertical path of travel and causing it to move along theperiphery of the wheel in a short are in being held against the wheel bythe roller as the strand is being advanced by the rotation of the wheel.

8. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of, the path of travel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the strandupon rotation of the members in unison, one of said members being apositively driven wheel and the other member a gravity-actuated idlerroller, the points of nip of the roller and the wheel on the strandalways being located at positions offset from a horizontal lineextending through the axis of rotation of said wheel and at right anglesto the path of travel of the strand for exerting a wedging actionthereon.

9. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of the path oftravel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the sameupon rotation of the members, one of said members being positivelydriven and the other member being an idler, means to positively rotatesaid positively driven member, a pivoted arm supporting said idlermember at one end portion of the arm for free rotation thereon andcapable of up and down movement, the pivot for the arm being on the sameside of the strand as the axis of said positively-driven rotatablemember and the arm being disposed in an extended position transverselyacross and ofiset from the vertical line of travel of the strand, andmeans for causing movement of said arm to press the idler member intofirm engagement with the strand and hold the latter against thepositively driven member with sufficient pressure to be gripped by themembers and advanced therebetween upon rotation of the same.

10. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the sameupon rotation of the members, one of said members being positivelydriven and the other member being an idler, means to positively rotatesaid positively driven member, a pivoted arm supporting said idlermember at one end portion of the arm for free rotation thereon andcapable of up and down movement, the pivot for the arm being locatedabove and on the same side of the strand as the axis of saidpositively-driven rotatable member and the arm being disposed in anextended position transversely across and offset from the vertical lineof travel of the strand, and means for causing movement of said arm topress the idler member into firm engagement with the strand and hold thelatter against the positively driven member with sufiicient pressure tobe gripped by the members and advanced therebetween upon rotation of thesame.

11. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the sameupon rotation of the members, one of said members being positivelydriven and the other member being an idler, means to positively rotatesaid positively driven member, a pivoted arm supporting said idlermember at one end portion of the arm for free rotation thereon andcapable of up anddown movement, the pivot for the arm being on the sameside of the strand as the axis of said positively driven rotatablemember and the arm being disposed in an extended position transverselyacross and oifset from the vertical line of travel of the strand, and aweight carried by said arm operative to urge the idler member into firmengagement with the strand and hold the latter against the positivelydriven member with sufficient pressure to be gripped by the members andadvanced therebetween upon rotation 01 the same.

12. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the strandupon rotation of the members in unison, one of said members being apositively driven wheel and the other member a gravity-actuated idlerroller, the peripheral face of said wheel being grooved for receivingand guiding the strand and the operating face of said idler rollerextending into said groove and coacting therewith, the bottom of saidgroove in the wheel being provided with lateral corrugations to effect afirm frictional grip on the strand, and the points of nip of the rollerand the wheel on the strand always being located at positions offsetfrom a horizontal line extending through the axis of rotation of saidwheel and at substantially right angles to the path of travel of thestrand for exerting a wedging action thereon.

13. A device of the character described comprising a pair of cooperatingrotatable members disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of avertical run of strand material and movable relative to each other toengage and firmly grip the strand between them for advancing the sameupon rotation of the members, one of said members being positivelydriven and the other member being an idler, means to positively rotatesaid positively driven member, a pivoted arm supporting said idlermember at one end portion or the arm for free rotation thereon andcapable of up and down movement, the pivot for the arm being on the sameside of the strand as the axis of said positively driven rotatablemember and the arm being disposed in an extended position transverselyacross and offset from the vertical line of travel of the strand, and aweight carried by said arm operative to urge the idler member into firmengagement with the strand and hold the latter against the positivelydriven member with sufficient pressure to be gripped by the members andadvanced therebetween upon rotation of the same, said arm beingswingable toward and away from the wheel in substantially the directionof the longitudinal extent of the strand material being fed to thedevice.

14. In an apparatus for making covered elastic yarn, the combinationwith means comprising upper and lower hollow spindles carrying packagesof a textile material in vertically aligned wrappings of the coveringmaterial to an elastic core extending therethrough, of means forsupplying the elastic core at a constant and predetermined linearvelocity, means for tensioning to a predetermined degree the elasticcore and removing it after it has been-covered with the textile coveringmaterial at a constant predetermined greater linear velocity than it issupplied, said last-named means including a positivelydriven wheel onone side of the strand and a cooperating idler roller on the other sideof the strand mounted on a swingable support fulcrumed on the same sideof the strand as the axis of rotation of said positively-driven wheel,said idler roller and its swingable support being actuated by gravity topress the roller into firm engagement with the strand and force thelatter against the wheel with sufiicient pressure to be gripped betweenthe members and advanced thereby upon rotation of the same.

JOHN PERRY.

